Welcome to Paradise

Querido familia,

Dear mother, can you hear me laughing?  Its been 6 whole months since that I have left your home.  It makes me wonder why I'm still here.  For some strange reason it`s now feeling like my home, and I'm NEVER GUNNA GOOOOO!!!
Pay attention to the cracked streets and the broken homes.  Some call it slums, some call it niiiice!  I want to take you through a wasteland I like to call my home.... bam dum ddu da da da dum ba dum dum
WELCOME TO PARADISE!

I think a little Greenday is appropriate to celebrate my 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY!!!!  Wooooop!  Blows my mind to think Ive already been out here 1/4 of the mission.  Now I just have to repeat the last 6 months 3 more times haha.  Kind of trunky when you say it like that..
But nah I ain't trunky, rather the opposite!!  For some strange reason Perus now feeling like my home, and Im never gunna go!  jk I guess Ill have to come home eventually...  But ya.  As I said in my last letter, I'm over all trunkyness.  Ive been trained, can speak Spanish, and am ready to give all I got to the Lord.

For my 6 month anniversary, yes mom Ill be burning a tie haha.  Well probably order some pizza pie, eat, drink (agua), and be merry.  For tomorrow its back to work haha.

I did have a moment this week to look back on my last 6 months.  All the painful moments, and all the sweet, priceless moments.  I remember thinking in all these moments how far away home was.  But looking back, I realize how short time is in this life.  Any pain we experience, is only temporary.  But also any fun we experience, is also temporary.  So I guess the big question is what truly matters?  Where does the time go by and why does nothing last?  Well to conclude my first 6 months, Id like to testify to everyone that there's a purpose in this life.  In bitter moments, it seems like the whole world hates you and itll never end.  In joyful moments, nothing matters but love, and you never want it to end.
Thus we see 2 opposing forces in this world.  One that tells you nothing matters and we`ll all die.  And the other that tells you there's so much more, that we can have this happiness forever.  The purpose of this life is to choose which one we want.  We all have good and bad within us, it just depends which one we choose to work on.  And the truth is that God exists.  He is a loving Heavenly Father, and desires the best for us.  Bad experiences are necessary for us to learn.  Through his Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, we can repent and find true happiness from the bitterness of this world.  Our purpose is to follow Him, keep His commandments, and live after this life in a never ending state of eternal life and joy.

Sorry if that was a lot haha, but its true.  I`ve given 6 months of my life to the Lord so that others can find the truth and happiness for themselves too.  And Ill give the rest of my life too, because I know why I'm here.

I love you all.  Thank you for your continued support and listening to my long emails haha.  Have an amazing week, and take time to find what your purpose in life is.

Con Amor,
Elder Ryan Preston Walker
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